DOCSLIB.ORG

The Spellbinding, Though Misnamed, Lightning Bug Is Much More Than Just a Pretty Light Show

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Spellbinding, Though Misnamed, Lightning Bug Is Much More Than Just a Pretty Light Show Wonderful West Virginia Magazine Lantern Beetles The spellbinding, though misnamed, lightning bug is much more than just a pretty light show. WRITTEN BY PAM KASEY When night descends, fireflies surround one of the old World War II munitions storage bunkers found at the McClintock Wildlife Management Area near Point Pleasant. JESSE THORNTON JESSE Wonderful West Virginia Magazine hen it comes Making Light to childhood Before we talk about insect flirtation, it’s useful to high-summer fun, understand that what we call lightning bugs or fireflies catching lightning are actually neither bugs nor flies. A truer term for them bugs may occupy might be “lantern beetles.” Their young, sometimes the nostalgic called glowworms, should really be called “glow larvae.” pinnacle—even All fireflies belong to the family of beetles known above chasing the as Lampyridae, from the Greek word for “shining.” ice cream truck Lampyrids encompass 110 genera and thousands of and running through the sprinkler. Fireflies turn an species worldwide. In West Virginia, we have at least Wordinary backyard into a fairyland. On the stillest, most six genera and 13 species—that’s what’s represented so satisfying evenings, when the grass is mown and the far in the state Department of Agriculture’s quarter- bicycles have been put away or when the tent has been million-specimen insect collection in Charleston, pitched and the marshmallows are melding the s’mores, according to Taxonomic Entomologist and collection even adults can be caught in their spell. Curator Laura Miller. “There could be more,” she says. Lightning bugs hold such a place of enchantment Fireflies are masters of biochemistry. Like many in our hearts that we don’t think of them as having other creatures that glow, they make their light by a normal insect role in lawn and garden ecology. But combining a compound called a luciferin with the “they’re highly beneficial, especially if you have slug or enzyme luciferase—both named from Latin “lux,” for snail problems,” says Daniel Frank, an entomologist “light.” “When luciferin and luciferase come together with the West Virginia University Extension Service. in the presence of oxygen, they make a flash,” Frank That is, these creatures of magic are also predators. says. It’s one kind of bioluminescence. “Some call it a “The larval stage feeds on various invertebrates in and ‘cold light’ because it really doesn’t release heat like an on the soil—that includes snails and slugs—and they incandescent bulb does,” he says. “It’s pretty much 100 can attack other pest insects, too.” percent efficient.” Like a lot of us, though, lightning bugs lavish their If you’ve never seen a glowworm, they’re not too most spectacular behaviors on courtship. What for us is hard to find once you know the firefly life cycle. Like all a charming phase of the warmer months is, for lightning beetles, fireflies go through a complete metamorphosis, bugs, mating season. with a cycle of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult. TESSA NICKELS 16 WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA | JULY 2016 Wonderful West Virginia Magazine Fireflies emerge at dusk in a quiet Logan County field. ”THESE GRACEFUL INSECTS ARE TRULY MIRACULOUS BECAUSE THEY SO BEAUTIFULLY ILLUMINATE THE CREATIVE IMPROVISATION OF EVOLUTION. THEY’VE BEEN SHAPED BY TWO POWERFUL EVOLUTIONARY FORCES: NATURAL SELECTION, THE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL, AND SEXUAL SELECTION, THE STRUGGLE FOR REPRODUCTIVE OPPORTUNITY.” Sara Lewis, Tufts University professor of evolutionary and behavioral ecology Females lay their eggs in places where the soil is moist, and perched on vegetation, respond with single flashes. eggs take a few weeks to hatch. “They generally live for Males approach females, and consummation ensues. about a year, in most species. They spend the immature, Even the broadest lines of that interaction—males larval stage overwintering in the soil,” Frank says. These are in the air, females stationary—are lost on us humans. the glowworms. In fall and spring, they can sometimes be Yet there’s so much more nuance to it than that—for found glowing at the soil under leaf litter, where they hunt example, color. That’s how taxonomist Miller organizes small prey. lightning bugs for people who aren’t insect scientists. After the winter, “they pupate in the soil and then emerge “I have listed them by their light-producing colors,” as adults, usually in late spring or early summer,” Frank says. she writes in an email detailing her West Virginia “If we have a really warm spring, you’d see emergence earlier. collection’s Lampyrids. Their luminescences fall into Then they’ll typically be out and about until around July—or, three main color categories. if we have moist, humid weather all summer, that could Most of the firefly lanterns we see give off the expand how late we see them, maybe even into the fall.” familiar light yellow-to-green glow. That’s usually By “out and about,” he means advertising for love. Photinus pyralis, the Common Eastern Firefly that’s pretty ubiquitous across the eastern U.S. It could also be Love Languages its close relatives, four or more other species of Photinus The typical lightning bug courtship goes like this: that live here in the state. They’re the iconic half-inch- TESSA NICKELS Males fly around, flashing ardently. Interested females, or-so-long lightning bug. WONDERFULWV.COM 17 Wonderful West Virginia Magazine Look closer: Do you notice an amber tint? That’s not necessarily a mutant. It could be one of West Virginia’s Pyractomena species. Also about a half-inch long but darker-winged, they’re found in wetter areas and their larvae feed on aquatic snails. Or is your flasher more of a dark green? That could be the cannibalistic Photuris— more on that below. They range larger, from half an inch to almost an inch in length. Timing, in Romance, is Everything But lantern color isn’t the only way to distinguish one type of lightning bug from another. “Species can also be separated or identified in the field by the number, duration, and frequency of their flashes,” Miller says. The differences can be minute, but some flash patterns are easy to pick out. The common Photinus pyralis is fairly easily identified by its distinctive J-shaped flash pattern. The malePhotinus consanguineus has been documented with a double flash. If you see rapid flashes—four or more in the space of a second—you’re probably looking at Pyractomena angulata or Pyractomena dispersa. By having a unique flash pattern, each species can find its proper mate in the low light of dusk. Seeking intimacy in the dark can be dangerous, though. The female Photuris, the cannibal mentioned above, mimics the flash response a hovering male Photinus is looking for. When he lands, she injects him with her digestive venom and eats him. This Point Photuris isn’t looking for love. She’s after defensive Pleasant-area compounds in Photinus’s blood that make it unpalatable wetland is a popular to spiders and other predators. Photuris acquires the rendezvous protection for herself and also passes it on to her eggs. spot for the The Photuris female is, in the words of Tufts University old-fashioned fun of catching biologist Sara Lewis, “a firefly vampire brought to you lightning bugs. by natural selection.” NICKELS TESSA THORNTON; JESSE 18 WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA | JULY 2016 Wonderful West Virginia Magazine Documenting and Protecting incomplete—entomologists see several possible causes. Lightning bugs Firefly behaviors beyond outrageous conduct haven’t been “Habitat loss will cause problems,” Frank says. “If even live at the top of Spruce thoroughly documented. While they can vary a lot—the you’re covering land with concrete or converting land Knob, the insects flash more slowly at higher temperatures, for example, to industrial agriculture, that takes away habitat they highest point and they may be affected by wind speed or pollution or factors would use—they like wooded areas and fencerows. And in the state. we’re not even aware of—harmless insects don’t attract the if you’re disturbing the soil, you don’t have that habitat level of scientific resources the pests we need to control do. the larvae need to survive.” Pesticides and artificial But some firefly behaviors are perfect subjects for citizen- light may contribute, too. “Light pollution has become scientist observations, along the lines of Audubon Society a problem for a number of insects,” Frank says. Simple bird counts. Firefly Watch, an online project of the Boston steps like reducing the amount of light we use outside Museum of Science, has logged data from thousands of our houses in the evening and avoiding harsh lawn and observers across North America since 2008. In West Virginia, garden chemicals may help. participants have noted single, double, triple, quadruple, and Do we really need fireflies? Biologist Lewis asked flickering flash patterns as early as April 25 and as late as and answered this question in “The Loves and Lies of October 9, under very specifically documented conditions of Fireflies,” her popular TED talk: “Every time a species habitat and weather. is lost, it’s like extinguishing a room full of candles one Some ecologists believe there’s been a decline in the by one,” she said. “You might not notice when the first numbers of lightning bugs in recent decades. If that’s few flames flicker out—but in the end, you’re left sitting true—it’s hard to be sure because documentation is so in darkness.” OBSERVING FIREFLIES Wear bug spray and be alert Shine a blue light. Flashlights Handle fireflies gently. Don’t Start a notebook.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1)B 2) F 3) a 4) E 5) D 6) C
    Virtual Firefly Festival Lesson: Flash Patterns In this lesson, participants will learn the secret behind the species-specific flash patterns of fireflies and then match visual representations of the patterns with the correct species. New Jersey is home to about 19 native species of fireflies, and you can probably see quite a few of them mingling together in your neighborhood! Each species of firefly has their own unique flash pattern and color, used to communicate with potential mates and predators. There are roughly 2,000 species of fireflies worldwide! Generally, the males are the ones to fly while flashing, and the females hang out perched on grass or in trees and flash to the males. One of the most numerous fireflies, especially here in the northeast, is the common eastern firefly (Phontinus pyralis); the male can be easily seen flashing a yellow-green light as it flies upward in a J-shape. A female P. pyralis can distinguish a male of her species vs. a male Photo by Spencer Black via Science Friday Photinus consimilis which flies in a straight line and emits 4-9 rapid yellow flashes every ten seconds. That being said, the animal world is full of trickery; the female Photuris versicolor (also known as the femme fatale firefly) is an aggressive predator that mimics the flash patterns of the female Photinus pyralis to lure and eat the male P. pyralis! Along with the flash pattern, the color is important and can be used to identify species: the blue ghost firefly, Phausis reticulata, is found in southern Appalachia and the males are famous for their eerie blue light that they maintain for up to a minute as they meander a foot or two above the leaf litter, where the wingless females wait.
    [Show full text]
  • Photinus Pyralis, Big Dipper Firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Able Chow, Forest Huval, Chris Carlton and Gene Reagan
    Photinus pyralis, Big Dipper Firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Able Chow, Forest Huval, Chris Carlton and Gene Reagan pattern and flight path, which forms a distinct J-shaped courtship flash. This flash is also the basis of the common name. Big dipper firefly larvae are small, six-legged, elongated insects with distinct body segments, each armed with a flat dorsal plate. They have small heads, short antennae and two light-producing organs on the abdomen. Species identification of larvae requires rearing them to adults. The pupae of Photinus resemble a pale white version of the adult Adult big dipper firefly in natural habitat. Lloyd, 2018, used with with the wings folded onto the sides of their bodies. permission. Description Life Cycle Adult big dipper fireflies are small, elongated beetles Fireflies undergo complete metamorphosis, with a life three-eighths to three-fifths of an inch (9 to 15mm) in cycle consisting of four developmental stages: egg, larva, length, soft in texture and densely covered by small hairs. pupa and adult. Photinus females lay small, round eggs about They have large eyes, black wing covers (elytra) with yellow one-thirtieth of an inch (0.8 mm) in diameter in moist margins and large pronota (top surface of thorax) extending crevices. The eggs glow slightly when first laid, but this fades over their heads. The color pattern on the pronotum is over time before hatching within 18 to 25 days. Larvae are variable, but the center is always pink with a black center nocturnal, solitary predators inhabiting a variety of moist dot. The light-producing organs differ between sexes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Beetle Fauna of Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Insecta: Coleoptera): Diversity and Distribution
    INSECTA MUNDI, Vol. 20, No. 3-4, September-December, 2006 165 The beetle fauna of Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Insecta: Coleoptera): Diversity and distribution Stewart B. Peck Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada stewart_peck@carleton. ca Abstract. The beetle fauna of the island of Dominica is summarized. It is presently known to contain 269 genera, and 361 species (in 42 families), of which 347 are named at a species level. Of these, 62 species are endemic to the island. The other naturally occurring species number 262, and another 23 species are of such wide distribution that they have probably been accidentally introduced and distributed, at least in part, by human activities. Undoubtedly, the actual numbers of species on Dominica are many times higher than now reported. This highlights the poor level of knowledge of the beetles of Dominica and the Lesser Antilles in general. Of the species known to occur elsewhere, the largest numbers are shared with neighboring Guadeloupe (201), and then with South America (126), Puerto Rico (113), Cuba (107), and Mexico-Central America (108). The Antillean island chain probably represents the main avenue of natural overwater dispersal via intermediate stepping-stone islands. The distributional patterns of the species shared with Dominica and elsewhere in the Caribbean suggest stages in a dynamic taxon cycle of species origin, range expansion, distribution contraction, and re-speciation. Introduction windward (eastern) side (with an average of 250 mm of rain annually). Rainfall is heavy and varies season- The islands of the West Indies are increasingly ally, with the dry season from mid-January to mid- recognized as a hotspot for species biodiversity June and the rainy season from mid-June to mid- (Myers et al.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution and Genomic Basis of Beetle Diversity
    The evolution and genomic basis of beetle diversity Duane D. McKennaa,b,1,2, Seunggwan Shina,b,2, Dirk Ahrensc, Michael Balked, Cristian Beza-Bezaa,b, Dave J. Clarkea,b, Alexander Donathe, Hermes E. Escalonae,f,g, Frank Friedrichh, Harald Letschi, Shanlin Liuj, David Maddisonk, Christoph Mayere, Bernhard Misofe, Peyton J. Murina, Oliver Niehuisg, Ralph S. Petersc, Lars Podsiadlowskie, l m l,n o f l Hans Pohl , Erin D. Scully , Evgeny V. Yan , Xin Zhou , Adam Slipinski , and Rolf G. Beutel aDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152; bCenter for Biodiversity Research, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152; cCenter for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research, Arthropoda Department, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, 53113 Bonn, Germany; dBavarian State Collection of Zoology, Bavarian Natural History Collections, 81247 Munich, Germany; eCenter for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, 53113 Bonn, Germany; fAustralian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; gDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute for Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; hInstitute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany; iDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Wien, Wien 1030, Austria; jChina National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, 518083 Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; kDepartment of Integrative Biology, Oregon State
    [Show full text]
  • A Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339213788 A Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats Article in BioScience · February 2020 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz157 CITATION READS 1 231 6 authors, including: Sara M Lewis Avalon Celeste Stevahn Owens Tufts University Tufts University 112 PUBLICATIONS 4,372 CITATIONS 10 PUBLICATIONS 48 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Candace E. Fallon Sarina Jepsen The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation 7 PUBLICATIONS 20 CITATIONS 36 PUBLICATIONS 283 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Usage of necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera) in forensic entomology: determination and developmental models View project Utilizing beetle larvae of family Silphidae in forensic practice View project All content following this page was uploaded by Sara M Lewis on 12 February 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Forum A Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats SARA M. LEWIS , CHOONG HAY WONG, AVALON C.S. OWENS , CANDACE FALLON, SARINA JEPSEN, ANCHANA THANCHAROEN, CHIAHSIUNG WU, RAPHAEL DE COCK, MARTIN NOVÁK, TANIA LÓPEZ-PALAFOX, VERONICA KHOO, AND J. MICHAEL REED Insect declines and their drivers have attracted considerable recent attention. Fireflies and glowworms are iconic insects whose conspicuous bioluminescent courtship displays carry unique cultural significance, giving them economic value as ecotourist attractions. Despite evidence of declines, a comprehensive review of the conservation status and threats facing the approximately 2000 firefly species worldwide is lacking. We conducted a survey of experts from diverse geographic regions to identify the most prominent perceived threats to firefly population and species persistence.
    [Show full text]
  • Research Article the Dark Side of the Light Show: Predators of Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains
    Hindawi Publishing Corporation Psyche Volume 2012, Article ID 634027, 7 pages doi:10.1155/2012/634027 Research Article The Dark Side of the Light Show: Predators of Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains Sara M. Lewis,1 Lynn Faust,2 and Raphael¨ De Cock3 1 Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA 2 Emory River Land Company, 11828 Couch Mill Road, Knoxville, TN 37932, USA 3 Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium Correspondence should be addressed to Sara M. Lewis, [email protected] Received 14 July 2011; Accepted 15 September 2011 Academic Editor: Diana E. Wheeler Copyright © 2012 Sara M. Lewis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. In the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, the Light Show is a popular seasonal attraction created by thousands of courting male Photinus carolinus fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) that flash in synchrony to locate females. This study was undertaken to provide a temporal snapshot of whether invertebrate predators are active within these dense and conspicuous firefly breeding aggregations. In addition, we examined whether female Photuris fireflies, which are specialist predators on other fireflies, show any feeding preferences within the diverse local firefly fauna. A field survey revealed a surprisingly diverse suite of generalist insectivores feeding on fireflies within P. carolinus breeding aggregations. In addition, laboratory studies revealed major differences in prey con- sumption rates when Photuris predators were given access to several lampyrid taxa.
    [Show full text]
  • The Colors of Firefly Bioluminescence: Enzyme Configuration and Species Specificity by H
    THE COLORS OF FIREFLY BIOLUMINESCENCE: ENZYME CONFIGURATION AND SPECIES SPECIFICITY BY H. H. SELIGER AND W. D. MCELROY MCCOLLUM-PRATT INSTITUTE, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Communicated May 25, 1964 We have previously reported on an unusual stereospecificity of firefly luciferase for a D(-) isomer of firefly luciferin.' While both the D(-) and the L(+) form will react with ATP to liberate pyrophosphate in the reaction E + LH2 + ATP =- E. LH2AMP + PP, (1) only D(-) LH2AMP will react further, in the presence of oxygen, to produce bio- luminescence and an oxidized product. There is also a strong pH dependence of the color of the emitted light;2 in acidic buffer solutions, pH < 6.5, the intensity of the normal yellow-green emission, peaking at 562 ml,, decreases markedly and a low intensity red emission is observed, peaking at 616 miu. This is evidence that enzyme configuration is important in determining the resonance energy levels of the excited state responsible for light emission. Further Evidence for Configurational Changes.-Except for the partial denatura- tion of the enzyme in acidic buffer, the pH effect on the emission spectrum shift is completely reversible. We have been able to observe these same reversible red shifts in emission spectra by increasing the temperature of the reaction, by carrying out the reaction in 0.2 M urea and at normal pH values (7.6) in glycyl glycine buffer, by adding small concentrations of Zn++, Cd++, and Hg++ cations, as chlorides. The normalized emission spectra of the in vitro bioluminescence of purified Photinus pyralis luciferase for various Zn++ concentrations are shown in Figure 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Field Guide to Western North American Fireflies
    Field Guide to Western North American Fireflies By Larry Buschman (May 2015 Draft) Fireflies are also known as lightning bugs or glowworms. They are popular insects because they produce their own light (bioluminescence). They are not “flies” or “bugs” but beetles (order Coleoptera) with leathery first wings. Fireflies belong to the family “Lampyridae”. Identify members of this family as follows: a. They have an elongated body. b. The head telescopes in and out under the pronotum (the thoracic shield). c. The pronotum is usually large and shield- like. d. The pronotum often has colorful markings with yellow, tan, red, or orange pigment. Fig. 1. Photinus firefly e. Most species are 5-20 mm long. This Field Guide is intended for those who would like to identify the different fireflies in their environment. This guide covers the most common firefly species, but is not intended to be comprehensive. North America is blessed with several hundred species of Lampyrids—the firefly family. Many of them fly around flashing and are called “Fireflies” or “Lightning Bugs”. This Field Guide will focus on these fireflies. However, there are also some “Glowwarms” (Lampyrids that glow from the ground) and the “Dark Fireflies” (non-glowing Lampyrids). For research I am obliged to take voucher specimens. However, many populations are so small, especially in the west, that loosing even a few specimens can be expected to have negative effects on their populations. I would encourage most firefliers not to take specimens (practice catch and release) unless they will be preserved for science. Fireflies should not be collected by children to decorate their bodies etc—not in the west! How to Identify Fireflies Many fireflies can be identified by their flash patterns, but this is not as easy as it would seem.
    [Show full text]
  • Hidden Diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest
    www.nature.com/scientificreports Corrected: Author Correction OPEN Hidden diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest: the discovery of Jurasaidae, a new beetle family (Coleoptera, Elateroidea) with neotenic females Simone Policena Rosa1, Cleide Costa2, Katja Kramp3 & Robin Kundrata4* Beetles are the most species-rich animal radiation and are among the historically most intensively studied insect groups. Consequently, the vast majority of their higher-level taxa had already been described about a century ago. In the 21st century, thus far, only three beetle families have been described de novo based on newly collected material. Here, we report the discovery of a completely new lineage of soft-bodied neotenic beetles from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, which is one of the most diverse and also most endangered biomes on the planet. We identifed three species in two genera, which difer in morphology of all life stages and exhibit diferent degrees of neoteny in females. We provide a formal description of this lineage for which we propose the new family Jurasaidae. Molecular phylogeny recovered Jurasaidae within the basal grade in Elateroidea, sister to the well-sclerotized rare click beetles, Cerophytidae. This placement is supported by several larval characters including the modifed mouthparts. The discovery of a new beetle family, which is due to the limited dispersal capability and cryptic lifestyle of its wingless females bound to long-term stable habitats, highlights the importance of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest as a top priority area for nature conservation. Coleoptera (beetles) is by far the largest insect order by number of described species. Approximately 400,000 species have been described, and many new ones are still frequently being discovered even in regions with histor- ically high collecting activity1.
    [Show full text]
  • Biobasics Contents
    Illinois Biodiversity Basics a biodiversity education program of Illinois Department of Natural Resources Chicago Wilderness World Wildlife Fund Adapted from Biodiversity Basics, © 1999, a publication of World Wildlife Fund’s Windows on the Wild biodiversity education program. For more information see <www.worldwildlife.org/windows>. Table of Contents About Illinois Biodiversity Basics ................................................................................................................. 2 Biodiversity Background ............................................................................................................................... 4 Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROM series ........................................................................................................ 6 Activities Section 1: What is Biodiversity? ...................................................................................................... 7 Activity 1-1: What’s Your Biodiversity IQ?.................................................................... 8 Activity 1-2: Sizing Up Species .................................................................................... 19 Activity 1-3: Backyard BioBlitz.................................................................................... 31 Activity 1-4: The Gene Scene ....................................................................................... 43 Section 2: Why is Biodiversity Important? .................................................................................... 61 Activity
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoptera: Lampyridae)
    Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2020-03-23 Advances in the Systematics and Evolutionary Understanding of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Gavin Jon Martin Brigham Young University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Life Sciences Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Martin, Gavin Jon, "Advances in the Systematics and Evolutionary Understanding of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 8895. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8895 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Advances in the Systematics and Evolutionary Understanding of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Gavin Jon Martin A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Seth M. Bybee, Chair Marc A. Branham Jamie L. Jensen Kathrin F. Stanger-Hall Michael F. Whiting Department of Biology Brigham Young University Copyright © 2020 Gavin Jon Martin All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Advances in the Systematics and Evolutionary Understanding of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Gavin Jon Martin Department of Biology, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Fireflies are a cosmopolitan group of bioluminescent beetles classified in the family Lampyridae. The first catalogue of Lampyridae was published in 1907 and since that time, the classification and systematics of fireflies have been in flux. Several more recent catalogues and classification schemes have been published, but rarely have they taken phylogenetic history into account. Here I infer the first large scale anchored hybrid enrichment phylogeny for the fireflies and use this phylogeny as a backbone to inform classification.
    [Show full text]
  • Firefly Conservation and Manage- Municate with Pheromones), and Glow-Worms (Whose • Use Paths to Avoid Trampling Fireflies
    • Plant native grasses, shrubs, and trees of vary- For More Information What Are Fireflies? ing heights. Xerces Society Firefly Resources Fireflies are actually beetles. They fall into three catego- • Enhance moisture availability by planting for The Xerces Society has a number of resources that ries—flashing fireflies, day-active fireflies (which- com shade or adding a water feature. provide guidance on firefly conservation and manage- municate with pheromones), and glow-worms (whose • Use paths to avoid trampling fireflies. ment, including the publication Conserving the Jewels of females glow to attract mostly nonluminescent males). the Night: Guidelines for Protecting Fireflies in the United More than 2,000 species have been described glob- Eliminate unnecessary lighting that contributes to States and Canada. ally, with about 170 known from the United States and artificial light at night, and reduce the effect of lights Canada. Anecdotal reports of local declines are grow- that must stay on. Read more about Xerces’ firefly conservation campaign ing, and while monitoring data are scarce, researchers • Use motion detectors or timers to limit the at xerces.org/endangered-species/fireflies. believe some firefly species may be at risk of extinction. amount of time lights shine. • Shield lights so they only illuminate the Other Resources What Fireflies Need intended area, such as a pathway. Fireflies, Glow-Worms, and Lightning Bugs by Lynn Faust In general, fireflies need food, shelter, moisture, dark • Switch out bright outdoor lighting for red bulbs (2017) provides identification and natural history of nights, and protection from pesticides. Fireflies spend or cover existing bulbs with red filters.
    [Show full text]